As you can see from these tea branches (I took the pictures today), the harvest of spring 2009 Bi Luo Chun has already started: notice the many cut branches. I arrived at the field late in the afternoon. The pickers had already picked most young buds. I still managed to find this one. Gorgeous.
Hint: I didn't drive home empty handed!
(To be continued next week.)
Yay! Bi Luo Chun! Please save some for us who are hungry for spring in the mountains. Lovely photos.
ReplyDeletebest,
Israel
What a great picture with the flowers in the background.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, the leaves/buds look different from mainland Bi Luo Chun. I've never had the Taiwanese version before - how does the taste compare?
ReplyDeleteRich
No problem Israel.
ReplyDeleteThanks Marilyn!
RTea,
The Taiwanese version is made with a local cultivar, the Qingxin Ganzhong. You are correct, its leaves are bigger than the Mainland Chinese orginal. The taste of the Taiwanese is quite sweet with a fresh fragrance and has few defects. But it doesn't have the long aftertaste that the best Chinese Bi Luo Chun have. At least, this isn't a tea that becomes bitter easily and it can be brewed with boiling water!